Arkham Nights
by Hanzz96
Summary: Ever wonder what Harleen Quinzel's life was like when she was a psychiatrist at Arkham asylum? This is story of the months leading up to her meeting the Joker. Maybe there is more to Harley Quinn then you think.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Some days are better than others and today certainly was not Harleen Quinzel's day. It was two o'clock in the morning and the blonde psychiatrist was working night shift at Arkham asylum. Usually night shift was rather quiet, most inmates either fell asleep on their own or were sedated. However tonight the asylum was in chaos and as Harleen sat in complete darkness in her small closet sized office, she put her forehead on her wooden desk, rubbing her temples and resisted the urge to scream. The coolness of the mahogany against her skin was soothing and helped her to relax as she took a deep breath and prepared to go back out into the madness of Arkham. At six thirty that evening one of the low security patients had been found dead in her cell. The women in her early 40's who had been admitted for a previous suicide attempt had smuggled cleaning products, which the janitor had left in the common room into her cell and drank them.

It was a gruesome discovery and unfortunately Harleen was the doctor who had to officially proclaim the poor women dead. Seeing death especially suicide within the asylum wasn't uncommon but it always disturbed Harleen, she had become a psychiatrist to help people with these dark thoughts and took failing very personally. By the time the body had been taken to the morgue Harleen was having some dark thoughts of her own. She hadn't been that women's doctor but if only she had somehow known something was wrong Harleen was positive she could have helped.

News of the death spread through the asylum like a wild fire. Certain patients were shouting and kicking walls, proclaiming that they were all going to die here. The more people started yelling the more it spread and almost became a riot, until Harleen and another psychiatrist Doctor Leland, accompanied by two armed guards entered the cells of the trouble making patients and injected them with a sedative.

By that point it was almost eleven o'clock and Doctor Leland signed off for the night and went home leaving Harleen as the only doctor in the asylum. Praying that there was no more unexpected surprises for the night, the young doctor made her rounds checking on the now quiet patients. Everything seemed to finally be in order until she reached the high security ward. As soon as the light on the door turned green accepting her key card and opened, every pair of very much awake eyes turned to face her. They looked at her like she was the one in a cell not the other way around. As she made her way around each cell she heard many chuckles of, "How many offed 'em selves?" and "Thanks for the entertainment doc."

It was really starting to bother Harleen but she put on a blank expression and tried to act professional. She was thanking her stars when she reached the last cell of her rounds until she remembered who the occupant of this cell was. The man's dark hair was ruffled, rectangular spectacles were perched on his nose magnifying his already large sapphire coloured eyes, his long legs were stretched out as he lay on his bed with a book in hand and thoughtful expression on his face. Jonathan Crane looked up as his Doctor approached.

"Ah Harley long night?" He said, perfectly pleasantly.

Doctor Crane had been head psychiatrist at Arkham before his "break down" as the staff called it. Harleen had been his intern for over a year and his resident for four, so it was no surprise that he referred to her by her nickname. Treating Doctor Crane always made Harleen cringe as it did with every doctor here. He had been their boss, their mentor and their peer and then he had been caught preforming illegal experiments on Arkham inmates using a "fear toxin" he had invented. Crane's specialty was phobias and psychopharmacology, so it was no shock that he had the ability to create such a chemical however it was horrifying that he actually done made it let alone used it. After Doctor Crane was dismissed from his position at the asylum and had his medical licence revoked he had sworn revenge. Months went by and nothing happened but then a series of robberies and attacks on the university that Crane used to teach psychology at before being dismissed and coming to the asylum began. All of the victims claim they had seen their "greatest fear" and had almost gone into terror induced cardiac arrest. Eventually Batman caught Crane now referring to himself as "Scarecrow" and he had ended up locked up in his own asylum. It turned out Crane had been fired from Gotham University for similar reasons as his dismissal from Arkham but the records had conveniently vanished at the time of his employment at the mental hospital. Seeing her mentor fallen into the depths of insanity made Harley realize that this job can really mess with you if you allow it to, she hoped she never ended up like Doctor Crane.

"You know very well it's been a hard night." Harleen replied, flatly trying to hide her heavy Brooklyn accent. People never took her seriously when they heard her speak, as if being from Brooklyn made her unintelligent.

"Do not worry yourself child people die here all the time you know that." Jonathan said, still not looking up from his novel. "However a good psychiatrist would have known if a patient was in a dangerous mind set, so you are partly to blame."

This was one of the worse parts about treating Doctor Crane he was a psychiatrist…a very good one and knew how to play mind games and get into his doctors heads.

"Enough, if you want to play psychological games, do it after I've had coffee and sleep please."

A small smirk played on Crane's lips but he remained silent and kept reading. Harleen left the ward turning out the last of the lights and securing the doors. She made her way through the eerie corridors and made herself a cup of coffee in the staff room. That was when she ended up in her office with her head on the desk.

After a few more minutes Harleen lifted her forhead off the wood, took a deep breath and walked back into the chaos because even when everything was quiet in Arkham there was always a sense of danger in the air.

All Harleen could do was hope that tomorrow would be better and remained herself that she chose her profession to help people.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

Harleen finally clocked off and left the asylum at six in the morning. She was so mentally and physically exhausted she barely remembered the drive home, it was like she was on auto pilot. She walked through the door of her tiny apartment and didn't bother turning on any lights, walking into her dark bedroom, pulling off her glasses, lab coat and dress and climbing into bed. After over an hour of tossing and turning however she still couldn't fall asleep, the events of the previous night kept running through her mind like a song on repeat. The thing that bothered her most however was not the suicide or the almost riot, it was the fact she'd acknowledged Crane's existence when he had spoken to her.

From a doctors view point Harleen knew it was wrong to let personal feelings get in the way of treating a patient, but Jonathan Crane was no ordinary patient. Not only had he been Harleen's mentor but she had affair with him before his "break down." There had been rumours going around for a long while that Harleen had slept with doctors and professors to "get to the top." On some level the rumours were true, she had indeed slept with Doctor Crane, however Jonathan was the only superior she had ever had a relationship with and she certainly hadn't done it to further her career. To be perfectly honest with herself Harleen didn't know why she had slept with the man, she hadn't had any strong feelings towards him besides friendship. It probably had to do with him being a brilliant doctor and when he complimented Harleen on her work with patients or even on a paper she had written Jonathan made her feel as if she were brilliant as well. She knew it sounded insecure to be attracted to someone because they complimented you, but Harleen had always been looked down upon in the academic community because she was a "dumb blonde" so being made to feel intelligent was significant to her.

Now every time she treated "The Scarecrow" all she could think about was that night, and that fact that Crane could ruin her career at any moment if he wanted to. The worst part was however that Jonathan knew she was afraid of this and loved to play on that fear. Whenever Harleen walked past his cell she would often see Jonathan smirk at her in the corner of her eye, once he realised that the blonde was trying to avoid making eye contact with him. Another example was during therapy sessions when Crane was asked things such as "What would you like to do once you are released?"

To which he would reply with something along the lines of "I don't know but I know what you like doctor." It horrified Harleen, but thankfully the other doctors usually shrugged it off and assumed it was simply Crane trying to play mind games. She couldn't understand why Jonathan or any of her other patients at Arkham for that matter took pleasure in hurting people, it was baffling and sick. Honestly she prayed she never would understand.

She supposed though that if she was constantly manhandled by an overgrown bully dressed as a bat with a god complex she would be bitter as well. Harleen knew that criminals needed to be brought to justice but she didn't agree with them having their basic human rights stripped away and being beaten to a bloody pulp. The law and the police existed for a reason and it was appalling that the GCPD were happy to ignore their duty in favour of a violent vigilante who in Harleen's opinion belonged in Arkham himself.

She groaned rolling over and picking up her cell phone off of her nightstand. The display read 10am which meant that she had to be back at work in eight hours for another night of the graveyard shift. Harleen knew that she needed at least five hours sleep so she could function at the asylum that night, however what she really needed was a day off. Between dealing with crazies all day, mediating her family drama from the other side of the country, as well as all her other commitments what Harleen needed just _one_ day to sleep, not worry about Crane and enjoy herself, have some _fun. _ But that wasn't how life worked and she knew it, life wasn't about having fun it was about paying bills, trying to be successful, and trying not to go crazy in the process. It wasn't that she hated her life or her job, Harleen truly loved helping people who needed it at Arkham and she adored working with extreme personalities, she found them fascinating. She just felt like all work and no play made life dull.

Eventually exhaustion set in and Harleen drifted into a light sleep, which she was abruptly awoken from around three that afternoon. She heard music an annoying repetitive tone, in her drowsiness it took Harleen a moment to realise that the music was coming from her phone. Without opening her eyes she blindly felt around her nightstand until she felt the phone and answered the call.

"Hello?" Harleen said, attempting to sound awake and coherent.

"Doctor Quinzel it's Doctor Leland." Replied the voice, on the other end of the line.

"Joan, what's the matter? I don't start until six tonight."

"Yes I know." Joan answered. "But we need all staff at the asylum as soon as possible."

"Why, what's happened?" Harleen questioned.

"There has been a mass break out."

Harleen's eyes snapped open suddenly wide awake and alert, "Who escaped?"

Leland took a deep breath, "Jonathan Crane, Pamela Isley and Edward Nigma."

Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and The Ridder had escaped. The news was horrifying not only would they cause havoc in Gotham but the Warden and the Mayor would have the heads of every Doctor in Arkham.

"I'll be right there."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

**Two years ago…**

As psychological intern Harleen had heard of some strange reactions to sex. Satisfaction, anger, sorrow however Harleen herself wanted to vomit. It wasn't the act itself that made her feel sick to her stomach, that part had actually been enjoyable it was who she'd done it with that left her distraught. She rolled over in bed to look at her companion, Jonathan Crane's dark hair was ruffled from sleep, his eyes were tightly shut but even in sleep his face looked stern.

Harleen carefully climbed out of bed, ensuring she did not wake Crane. A chill ran through her as she remembered she wasn't wearing any clothes or underwear, she was completely exposed. Harleen quickly and quietly tiptoed to collect the outfit she had been wearing the night before off the floor and retreated to the bathroom to get dressed. Locking the door Harleen turned on the tap and splashed warm water on her face, "Idiot!" she scolded herself. Of all the people in the world she could have had sex with she chose the psychiatrist she was working under, what was wrong with her? If anyone discovered what had occurred between her and Doctor Crane Harleen would be fired instantly. Everything she had worked for, all those years of college, her non-existent social life, her thousands of dollars of debt, would all be for nothing.

"Calm down, focus on right now." She muttered, pulling on her wrinkled clothes. Once dressed Harleen combed her knotted blonde hair with her fingers pulling it into a pony tail, brushed her teeth with some tooth paste on her finger, put on her glasses and tried to look as put together as possible. However it was useless as Harleen gazed in the mirror she knew that she looked like the unintelligent slut her classmates in collage had always assumed she was.

Harleen took a deep breath, she need to get out of here. She needed to go home and calm down, then she could discuss the situation with Jonathan rationally. Harleen unlocked the door and jumped when she saw Crane standing right outside and he didn't look impressed.

"Why Harley if I didn't know any better I would guess that you're trying to avoid me."

"Please don't call me that it isn't my name." Harleen replied, quietly without making eye contact. As usual she was supressing her accent.

"You told me I could call you that last night." Crane said, raising an eyebrow. "You said all your friends call you Harley."

"I was drunk last night." She muttered. "And my friends do call me Harley, however we are not friends we're co-workers it would be inappropriate for you to call me Harley."

Crane's midnight eyes bore into her for a moment as he silently appraised the younger doctor, "You're afraid."

"Of course I am if any…."

Crane cut her off midsentence, "I'm not going to tell anyone _Harleen_ my career is at stake as well. But I disapprove of your fear I would have thought someone who is almost a qualified psychiatrist would be above such mental weakness."

Harleen simply stared at him, dumfounded by the harshness of his words.

"By the way if we are not friends and I am no more to you than a co-worker I would be very disappointed as I have taken a…liking to you." He added, the venom leaving his voice.

"Well then I suppose being friends can't hurt." She said, uncertainly. "As long as we can put this situation behind us."

"Of course." Crane answered, with a smile. However there was something behind the smile, as if the warmth in it was forced it almost seemed cynical.

"My shift starts soon I should be going." Harleen said, rushing past him and out the door before he could protest.

Once she exited the building Harleen realised that she would be walking home Crane had driven them to his apartment the previous night after some post work drinks at a bar close by. Thankfully it was early not even 7am yet which meant that few people would see Harleen in her current state during her fifteen minute walk to her apartment. It was a chilly November morning and Harleen hugged her arms close to keep warm. She hadn't chosen this outfit yesterday morning with the idea of walking outdoors in mind. As she walked the events of last night kept running through her troubled mind.

It had started after a particularly nasty shift at Arkham. A schizophrenic patient had attacked a nurse, so Harleen had done the logical thing and sedated him. Unfortunately she had gotten the dosage wrong and the man had a terrible reaction. Senior psychiatrists had the man's stomach pumped and he was going to recover, however they were still harsh on Harleen. They lectured her for over an hour but the real kick in the gut came later when she overheard them talking in the staff room. The words "dumb blonde" and "bimbo" stood out to her, not to mention "Have you heard her speak?"

Harleen blinked away tears and found herself sitting alone at a table in the cafeteria, staring at the industrial white wall. She had been silently staring for what felt like hours lost in her thoughts, when someone sat in the seat across from her. Doctor Crane looked at her with a mix of sympathy and curiosity, "What's the matter child?"

Harleen hadn't meant to do it she didn't often burden others with her problems and most certainly not people she worked with, but she just couldn't stop it the worlds and tears flowed out of her like a river. Once she had recounted the story for Crane she wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her lab coat and choked down a hiccup.

"You're certainly not unintelligent I approved you're internship, I've seen you're grades, you're papers, you're work with patients. I think you're brilliant." Crane said, without a hint of sarcasm.

Harleen looked up at the man, "Really?"

"Really, now if there is anything that cures tears it's a drink would you like to join me for one?"

Harleen agreed and one drink turned into two, two turned into four, four into ten and she had ended up in his bed. She knew however that the alcohol had little to do with it, she had sex with Crane because he made her feel intelligent and good about herself…god she was the only shrink who needed to see a shrink!

Harleen pushed the thought out of her mind as she unlocked her apartment door and started to prepare herself for work.


	4. Authors Note

**I everyone I was wondering if there is enough of a following here for me to continue. Review and let me know if you want another chapter.**

**Thanks **

**~Hanzz **


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